How should you keep your LiFePO4 battery?

The LiFePO4 battery is now the most prevalent type of battery. The LiFePO4 battery is well-known for its consistent performance and great safety, as well as its ease of installation. However, it is unavoidable that there will be idle times while utilizing the battery. It is critical to know how to properly store the battery when it is idle.

Why should a LiFePO4 battery be stored?

Reasonable idle storage of LiFePO4 batteries is an essential parameter for LiFePO4 batteries. If the LiFePO4 batteries are piled arbitrarily and not stored properly, they can easily be over-discharged, causing harm to the battery and, finally, your money will be wasted. Furthermore, poor storage may result in reduced battery performance. People who use batteries regularly may not think about battery storage very often, but for people who only use batteries for short periods of time (such as summer camping), proper storage of LiFePO4 batteries is critical.

How should a LiFePO4 battery be stored?

First and foremost, the storage environment around the LiFePO4 battery must be protected. Regardless of the season, the battery storage environment should be dry and aired. Furthermore, verify that the SOC of the LiFePO4 battery is 50% or higher, which is the best storage capacity, but avoid storing at full SOC.

Storage for the Summer:

Because of the comparatively high temperature in the summer, the self-discharge rate of LiFePO4 batteries will be significantly greater, around 3-4% each month. Although the LiFePO4 battery is a high-temperature battery, it should not be placed in a hot environment. The ideal option is an indoor room that is about the same temperature as the room.

Winter Storage:

Winter is the season when most people do battery storage. Because many people use LiFePO4 batteries as camping batteries, they will not be of much use in winter. During winter, the temperature is relatively low, and in some areas it may reach -20°C. Since the battery is actually a chemical reaction, in winter, the self-discharge rate of the battery will be relatively low, about 2~3% per month. However, it should be noted that when storing batteries in winter, it is best to ensure that the battery storage temperature is higher than room temperature, especially in an environment of -20°C. Too low temperature is not a good thing for batteries. Again, it should be stored indoors. More information can be found in: LiFePO4 Battery Winterize.

It should be noted that when storing LiFePO4 batteries, all loads must be disconnected. The positive and negative electrodes, in other words, are totally retained. It is not suggested to keep the BMS/inverter/charger, etc. connected to the battery because it would increase the battery's usage. If you must do so, utilize a battery guard to prevent battery irregularities. Of course, when you wish to re-enable the LiFePO4 battery after battery storage, remember to re-balance it.

The following is a storage duration and temperature advice; of course, this is not an absolute value, but rather a value worth considering; I hope it is useful to you.

Summary

We all know the advantages of the LiFePO4 battery very well, and how to maintain the best performance of the battery is what we need to consider. Proper storage of LiFePO4 batteries when they are not in use is a good way to effectively increase the life of LiFePO4 batteries and maintain performance.